Stories and Book Talk

Tag: Books/Comics/Poetry Read

Books read , comics read, Poems read

  • Binti the Series Guarantees Adventure this May

    Binti the Series Guarantees Adventure this May

    Let’s fall into adventure. Binti is an amazing series that I got into this May. Read it in one sitting, falling into Binti’s world.

    Binti

    by Nnedi Okorafor

    Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs.

    Knowledge comes at a cost, one that Binti is willing to pay, but her journey will not be easy. The world she seeks to enter has long warred with the Meduse, an alien race that has become the stuff of nightmares. Oomza University has wronged the Meduse, and Binti’s stellar travel will bring her within their deadly reach.

    If Binti hopes to survive the legacy of a war not of her making, she will need both the gifts of her people and the wisdom enshrined within the University, itself ― but first, she has to make it there, alive.

    Binti : Home

    by Nnedi Okorafor

    It’s been a year since Binti and Okwu enrolled at Oomza University. A year since Binti was declared a hero for uniting two warring planets. A year since she found friendship in the unlikeliest of places.

    And now she must return home to her people, with her friend Okwu by her side, to face her family and face her elders.

    But Okwu will be the first of his race to set foot on Earth in over a hundred years, and the first ever to come in peace.

    After generations of conflict can humans and Meduse ever learn to truly live in harmony?

    Binti: The Night Masquerade

    Binti has returned to her home planet, believing that the violence of the Meduse has been left behind. Unfortunately, although her people are peaceful on the whole, the same cannot be said for the Khoush, who fan the flames of their ancient rivalry with the Meduse.

    Far from her village when the conflicts start, Binti hurries home, but anger and resentment have already claimed the lives of many close to her.

    Once again it is up to Binti, and her intriguing new friend Mwinyi, to intervene–though the elders of her people do not entirely trust her motives–and try to prevent a war that could wipe out her people, once and for all.

  • Yargo

    Yargo

    Yargo

    by Jacqueline Susann

    A beautiful earth woman is kidnapped by Yargo, the incredibly attractive ruler of a distant world, and begins a romantic adventure to exotic planets.

    A tale ensues:

    I read this book when I was in grade school so many years ago. It was on the home library shelf and the story is not very difficult to read, so I loved it then and still reread it when I remember it. This year the reread was triggered by a total eclipse event. The visual of the moon covering the sun lets you know there are planet-sized mysteries beyond our skies. Anyway, I caught a glimpse of the event and happened to clean out the bookshelves, and voila! Yargo came to mind.

    Yargo is quite fascinating as Jacqueline Susann wrote it in the 1950s as a romance novel with a sci-fi twist. The main character Janet Cooper goes camping in the sand dunes of Avalon, searching for the meaning of life as she knows it. She’s out in the evening, staring at the stars, and reminiscing about teenage dreams. When lo and behold one of those stars suddenly hangs lower than normal. Janet Cooper is promptly kidnapped off the planet by aliens.

    The first time I read it I went out to check whether the stars could do this (I was thirteen, excuse my excited imagination). You can also imagine my disappointment when none of this happened. The stars did not hang low for me, at all. Damn you, Janet Cooper. The idea felt possible at the time.

    Still, I loved the adventure of this story.

    It turns out the aliens made a mistake by capturing a human from planet Earth. We’re imperfect, but the aliens are lightyears ahead of our planet and consider themselves evolved to perfection. Now, the aliens who botched the job had to figure out where to take Janet Cooper. The planet that finally agrees to take her in is called Yargo. Yargo is considered a utopian world full of perfect beings. Incidentally, Janet who had been wondering where to find the ideal man, (as earlier mentioned ‘reminiscing her teenage dreams in the dunes‘), meets him on this planet.

    Reading it now, I don’t think it is truly a romance story but a metamorphosis story for Janet. I loved how imaginative Yargo is and it is a great sci-fi read, especially for someone not looking to dig too deep into a sci-fi world. Instead, it takes on a philosophical outlook on utopias and the beauty of imperfections.

  • Defiant

    Defiant

    Defiant (Song of Chaos Book Three)

    by Michael R. Miller

    The great powers are stirring, and Holt and Ash are ready to return to the fight.

    A summons from the Life Elder sets them on a perilous mission, leading to steaming jungles and blistering islands where ancient secrets will challenge everything they know of magic and dragons.

    Talia, the Red Queen, is beset on all sides by pirate raiders and marauding mercenaries. Empress Skadi has abandoned her, battling uprisings in her own lands. As the noose tightens on Feorlen, Talia faces a difficult choice: let her people suffer or turn her powers against mortal foes?

    Osric Agravain has found hope with his newly bonded black dragon, but some wounds run deeper than flesh and bone. Along the Fallow Frontier, he seeks the inner peace that has long eluded him.

    And within the sanctum at Falcaer, Paragon Adaskar is struggling to unite the fracturing riders. If he fails, ruinous chaos will break across the world.

    For when Elders and Paragons quarrel, kingdoms will fall.

    Thoughts:

    I’ve been on a binge with this series. Three books down, and the adventure is still amazing. I like the pacing, although the multiple POVs in this book three have been challenging. Defiant contributes to the exciting existence of dragons, leadership, and a quest to protect.

    I’ve enjoyed the journey. There was a deliberate setup for books four and five, which is fine even though it may take me time to return to it. All in all, this is a great series to read with younger readers.

    He was his own worst critic, but he could admit one good thing about himself, the soldier, the general, the monster; when he decided on a thing, it got done. Do the job and do it well.
    ― Michael R. Miller, Defiant

  • Unbound

    Unbound

    Unbound (Song of Chaos Book Two)

    by Michael R. Miller

    Sometimes the world needs a little chaos.

    Unbound Book Cover

    Holt and Ash saved the kingdom of Feorlen against all odds. Now they are outcasts, alone on an impossible quest to unite the Elder Dragons. But they are children playing in a game of Dragon Lords. Trapped between the riders, servants of the Sovereign, and the scourge, even their luck cannot last forever. Their only hope is to advance their bond by any means necessary.

    In Feorlen, Talia faces a world unaccepting of a rider queen. Her councilors will not heed her warnings of Sovereign. Foreign powers threaten war and bloodshed. Pleas sent to rider headquarters fall on deaf ears.

    All the while, Sovereign regathers his strength in an ancient fortress. Enthralled cultists swell his ranks. Disillusioned riders flock to his cause.

    And his unwilling servant Osric Agravain scours the land for dragon eggs. There are new types of magic to be discovered, and Sovereign intends to control them all.

    Only the mysterious half-dragon Rake has a plan to stop Sovereign. To pull it off, he’s going to need a team.

    Thoughts:

    The fantasy journey continues in Song of Chaos Book Two. Holt and Ash continue on a dangerous quest. They still face prejudice over what is considered a weakness. Holt focuses on growing strength in this book. Talia faces a different type of prejudice. She must prove herself in a world that refuses to accept a rider queen.

    The big bad grows stronger too. The most exciting part about this story is that the good stays good, and the bad is very bad. It is a classic good vs. evil story which I appreciate.

  • Ascendant – Songs of Chaos Book One

    Ascendant – Songs of Chaos Book One

    Ascendant – Songs of Chaos Book 1

    by Michael R. Miller

    Holt Cook was never meant to be a dragon rider. He has always served the Order Hall of the Crag dutifully, keeping their kitchen pots clean.

    Until he discovers a dark secret: dragons do not tolerate weakness among their kin, killing the young they deem flawed. Moved by pity, Holt defies the Order, rescues a doomed egg, and vows to protect the blind dragon within.

    But the Scourge is rising. Undead hordes roam the land, spreading the blight and leaving destruction in their wake. The dragon riders are being slaughtered and betrayal lurks in the shadows.

    Holt has one chance to survive. He must cultivate the mysterious power of his dragon’s magical core. A unique energy which may tip the balance in the battles to come, and prove to the world that a servant is worthy after all.

    Thoughts

    What a great adventure story! It reminded me so much of Eragon. Ascendant is a fantasy story about dragons and dragon riders. Holt is not meant to be a dragon rider. He serves the Order Hall of the Crag, working in their kitchen. One day, he rescues a dragon egg meant to be destroyed but Holt cannot bring himself to do the deed. So, Holt breaks the rules and rescues the imperfect egg. It hatches into an imperfect dragon.
    Ascendant is a story about a struggle to fight against the status quo, an adventure filled with dragons and amazing fantastic magic.

  • The Awakening

    The Awakening

    The Awakening by Nora Roberts

    The Awakening (The Dragon Heart Legacy 1)

    by Nora Roberts

    In the realm of Talamh, a teenage warrior named Keegan emerges from a lake holding a sword—representing both power and the terrifying responsibility to protect the Fey. In another realm known as Philadelphia, a young woman has just discovered she possesses a treasure of her own…

    When Breen Kelly was a girl, her father would tell her stories of magical places. Now she’s an anxious twentysomething mired in student debt and working a job she hates. But one day she stumbles upon a shocking discovery: her mother has been hiding an investment account in her name. It has been funded by her long-lost father—and it’s worth nearly four million dollars.

    This newfound fortune would be life-changing for anyone. But little does Breen know that when she uses some of the money to journey to Ireland, it will unlock mysteries she couldn’t have imagined. Here, she will begin to understand why she kept seeing that silver-haired, elusive man, why she imagined his voice in her head saying Come home, Breen Siobhan. It’s time you came home. Why she dreamed of dragons. And where her true destiny lies—through a portal in Galway that takes her to a land of faeries and mermaids, to a man named Keegan, and to the courage in her own heart that will guide her through a powerful, dangerous destiny…

    Thoughts:

    The Awakening is book one of the Dragon Heart Legacy series. Breen Kelly is an unsure young woman doing her best to pay for her student debt while working a job she does not enjoy. She has personal struggles and manages cases of anxiety. Breen is doing the best she can with her life. Then, she discovers her mother has hidden a secret from her. One that would have changed her life, a secret that does change her life. Breen then embarks on a journey to discover her true passion.
    I love how we meet Breen in a moment where she is doing her best with what she has known. When she discovers her mother’s secret, she has to have the courage to take the next step. The key to her choice to make changes in her life is courage. Courage that sends her on an unforgettable journey. I loved the world-building. The series is at the start, and hopefully, it will get even more amazing.

  • Inheritance

    Inheritance

    Inheritance

    by Nora Roberts

    1806: Astrid Poole sits in her bridal clothes, overwhelmed with happiness. But before her marriage can be consummated, she is murdered, and the circle of gold torn from her finger. Her last words are a promise to Collin never to leave him…

    Graphic designer Sonya MacTavish is stunned to learn that her late father had a twin he never knew about―and that her newly discovered uncle, Collin Poole, has left her almost everything he owned, including a majestic Victorian house on the Maine coast, which the will stipulates she must live in it for at least three years. Her engagement recently broken, she sets off to find out why the boys were separated at birth―and why it was all kept secret until a genealogy website brought it to light.

    Trey, the young lawyer who greets her at the sprawling clifftop manor, notes Sonya’s unease―and acknowledges that yes, the place is haunted…but just a little. Sure enough, Sonya finds objects moved and music playing out of nowhere. She sees a painting by her father inexplicably hanging in her deceased uncle’s office, and a portrait of a woman named Astrid, whom the lawyer refers to as “the first lost bride.” It’s becoming clear that Sonya has inherited far more than a house. She has inherited a centuries-old curse, and a puzzle to be solved if there is any hope of breaking it…

    Thoughts

    I love a good mystery romance, and this one has a great start. Sonya faces heartbreak at the start, and she does her best to bounce back from it. Then, an intriguing past knocks on her door in the form of a lawyer.

    Sonya discovers she has an uncle she has never met, Collin Poole, and he has left her the most interesting legacy: a majestic Victorian house in Maine. The house has a lengthy history, and Sonya begins discovering every bit of it. I always enjoyed how well Roberts spins a tale. This is the first book in a series and is heavy with setup and catchup. I love how Sonya manages her expectations and fights to move on from a situation that should have broken her at the start.

  • Belladonna

    Belladonna

    Belladonna Book Cover

    Belladonna

    by Adalyn Grace

    Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa has been raised by a string of guardians, each one more interested in her wealth than her well-being—and each has met an untimely end. Her remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at Thorn Grove, an estate both glittering and gloomy. Its patriarch mourns his late wife through wild parties, while his son grapples for control of the family’s waning reputation, and his daughter suffers from a mysterious illness. But when their mother’s restless spirit appears claiming she was poisoned, Signa realizes that the family she depends on could be in grave danger and enlists the help of a surly stable boy to hunt down the killer.
     
    However, Signa’s best chance of uncovering the murderer is an alliance with Death himself, a fascinating, dangerous shadow who has never been far from her side. Though he’s made her life a living hell, Death shows Signa that their growing connection may be more powerful—and more irresistible—than she ever dared imagine.

    Thoughts:

    A story about a girl who is immune to Belladonna, hence the title. This book has a delicious gothic mood to it, down to a gothic manor filled with eccentric family members, and Signa, the main character, who is discovering the mystery of her existence. I enjoyed the impact of the opening scene. It was a great opening for the most unlikely character in this story, Death. Signa and Death have a strong connection that only grows from the opening scene, all the way to their unlikely relationship.
    This is certainly a unique story. Mostly, I loved how gothic it felt, from the eighteen-hundred setting, the parties, and the use of Belladonna itself.

  • A Sign of Affection

    A Sign of Affection

    A Sign of Affection

    by Suu Morishita, Translated by Christine Dashiell

    Yuki is a typical college student, whose world revolves around her friends, social media, and the latest sales. But when a chance encounter on a train leads to her meeting friend-of-a-friend and fellow student Itsuomi-san, her world starts to widen. But even though Itsuomi-kun can speak three languages, sign language isn’t one of them. Can the two learn to communicate the budding feelings between them?

    Thoughts

    This manga is quite special. The protagonist, Yuki, is deaf. She has her own world in a world full of sounds she doesn’t hear. So, when she meets someone she wants to know more, there is this gap they both have to bridge in order to better understand each other. The art is so clear cut and I love the progress through each panel. Yuki wants to get to know Itsuomi better, and their journey towards connecting is the cutest thing ever.
    Suu Morishita takes her time to explain the use of sign language, and the differences in sign language styles in Japan. This manga becomes quite special when you understand that Yuki’s language is sign language and it is how she communicates best. A Sign of Affection is engaging, cute, and full of warm feels.

  • The Dragon King’s Imperial Wrath

    The Dragon King’s Imperial Wrath

    The Dragon King’s Imperial Wrath

    Written by Aki Shikimi | Art by Akiko Kawano

    Thirteen clans rule the land, and the Rat Clan is the weakest. Ruiying, the princess of the Rat Clan, is summoned to the land of the dominating Dragon Clan along with princesses from the other clans. The Dragon King seeks a bride, and they are all candidates! Yet instead of vying for the Dragon King’s favor, Ruiying takes refuge in the palace’s enormous library–a place she can read to her heart’s content. It’s there that the Dragon King discovers her by chance, sparking an immediate connection that will change Ruiying’s life forever!

    Thoughts:

    The artwork is so beautifully done, I love it. I enjoyed the world-building in this volume. And Princess Ruiying is a great protagonist. This reads like a cute, fast romance story, that is not asking too much from the reader. The series is a fast read, I loved how easy going I felt reading it.